Lightning-arrester.



No. 745,114. PATBNTED Nov. 24, 1903. G. E. NICHOLAS.

LIGHTNING ARRESTBR APPLIUATION FILED APR. s, 190s.

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No. 745,114. v PATENTBD N0V.24,19o3.

c. I.. NICHOLAS.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 6, 1903.

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ATTORNEY- rEatented November 24, 1903.

PATENT EEiCE.

CHARLES E. NICHOLAS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,114, dated November24, 1903.

Application filed April 6, 1903. Serial No. 151,347. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLEs E. NICHOLAS, residing at Columbus, in thecounty of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lightning- Arresters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of lightning arresters which are moreespecially adapted for use on telegraph-poles for protection ofthevarious circuits emanating from a cable through a distributing-boxmounted upon the pole.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an arrester of theclass described whereby the line to be protected will have a largersurface exposed to ground than is possible with the ordinari7 types ofarresters now in common use.

The invention also seeks to provide a deu vice of the character' statedin which the grounding-terminal is held between the crossarms of thepole by the same means which secures the line-wire vand holds it inproper position and at the same time obviates the necessity of the usualinsulators upon the crossarms to which the line-wire is usually secured.

With other objects in view,which will hereinafter appear, my inventionconsists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts which will effectively serve their intended purposes and whichwill iirst be described in detail and then pointed out in the appendedclaims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,in which*-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper part of a telegraph-polewith my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of one pair ofcross-arms. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thereof. Fig. 4. is across-section on the line 4L 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 5 is a detail View of a slightlymodified form of myinvention hereinafter specifically referred to. Fig. 6 is across-section of another modified form of my invention. Fig. 7 shows myinvention as adapted for use in connection with the line-wire onsingle-arm poles. Fig. S is a similar view of a further modification ofmy invention, and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section thereof.

'Referring nowto the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals andletters of reference indicate like parts in all of the tigures, lindicates a teleg1aph-pole,(which may be of any approved construction,)upon which is mounted the usual distributing-box 2, into which the endof the cable 3 is led and from which the various wires emanate.

Mounted upon the upper part of the pole by bolts 5 or otherwise are aseries of crossarms 6 6X, arranged in pairs for a purpose presently toappear. Each of the cross-arms 6 6X has a series of horizontal bores 66b, adapted to receive insulating-knobs 7 7X, of porcelain, glass, orother like vitreous substances. The horizontal bores 6'L of one of thepair of cross-arms are in alinement with the horizontal bores 6b of theother crossarm 6x.

8 designates a cylindrical tube of iron or other like metallic substanceheld between each pair of cross-arms 6 6X, and the tubes 8 have theirends S 8b projecting into the horizontal bores 6a 6b of the cross-arms 66X, and the said tube ends 8' Sb are furthermore adapted to abut theends 7 7a of the insulating-knobs 7 7X, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and4.

To hold the knobs 7 7x and the tubes 8 in their proper relativepositions, I drive spikes 9 vertically through the cross-arms 6 o'X toengage the grooves 7b in the knobs 7 7', as is clearly shown in Figs. 3and Li.

By referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen theknobs 7 7X are disposed about midway the horizontalbores G 6, whereby toleave spaces X and Y at the outer ends of the knobs 7K.

Passing through longitudinal bores 7C in the knobs 7 7X and through thetube 8 is an eyebolt l0, having an eye portion l0 at one end throughwhich the naked line-wire from the distributingbox 2 is adapted to pass,and

`at the other end the bolt 10 is threaded, as

at 10b, to receive the lock-nut ll and washer i2, as shown.

In the practical application of my inven tion the line-wires aresecurely fastened to the eyebolts 10 in any approved manner, either bypassing the line-wire 4. through the eye of the bolt l0 and winding itback upon itself, as at il, (see Figs. 4.- and 6,) or it may be held inplace by simply drawing the eye lO of the eyebolt l0 tightly against theknob 7X; but when this method of fastening the line-wires is used Iprefer to arrange the insulating-knobs 7X in the manner best shown inFig. 5, from Which it will be seen the knob 7X has its end .e projectingslightly beyond the front face of the cross-arm 6x to prevent the liveline-wire coming in contact with the cross-arm 6X, and thereby obviateany danger of a ground. This arrangement is not, however, absolutelynecessary, since the line-wire may or may not be insulated up to thepoint where it passes through the eyebolt 10.

Mounted upon the eyebolt 10 within the tubular member 8 are a series ofthin metallic washers 15 of slightly less diameter than the internaldiameter of the tube 8, and while I prefer to use these washers asshown, since they increase the eciency of my arrester, yet I maydispense with them entirely.

16 designates a ground-wire having 011e end grounded in the usualmanner, and this Wire is preferably strung up the side of the pole tonear the upper pair of cross-arms 6 6x.

Secured to the tubes 8 by wrapping around them or in any approved mannerand in electrical connection therewith are wires 16 1Gb, joined at 16Cto the ground-Wire 16, whereby the tubes 8 are brought into electricalconnection with each other and with the earth.

So far as described the manner in which my invention operates is bestexplained as follows: The static charges set up in the linewire by theelectrical stresses in the atmosphere will be discharged from thewashers 15 and eyebolt 10 to the tube 8 and from thence conducted toground. This discharge under ordinary conditions-t'. e., when thechargeis not excessive-' Will be in the nature of a brush discharge; butshould lightning strike the line-wires 4, and thereby cause the linewireto become excessively charged, the charge will pass alongthe line-wires4t to the eyebolt 10 and thence discharge to the tube S. From thence itwill be conducted through the Wires 16 1Gb and the ground-wires 16 toearth.

By arranging my invention in the manner shown and described it will bereadily apparent that should any of the parts of the device becomeinjured it will only be necessary to remove the fastening-nuts of theeyebolt 10 and the spikes 9, when the tube 8 and insulating-knobs 7 7xmay be withdrawn and replaced as desired.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 the insulating-knobs 7 7X havecountersunk bores 7f, into which the tube 8 is adapted to fit, and inthis form the tube S is of a small diameter, so as to lie close to theeyebolt 10.

When it is desirable to use my arrester in connection with the ordinarysingle-arm pole, the line-wire e is fastened to the usual insulator ctupon the cross-arm 6m and strung through the 1knobs 7 7X and the tube 8,the eyebolt being omitted. To hold the knobs 7 7x and tube 8 in propercorrelative positions, the groundingwire 16X is wrapped around theinsulating knobs and tubes, as indicated by 165' in Fig. 7.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a slightlymodied form of my inventionwhich is more particularly adapted for use in connection with thesingle-arm poles. In this form the tube 8 is made of suilicient diameterto receive the insulating-knobs 7 7x at its ends, which knobs 7 7X aresuitably cemented, as at e, in the tube S to hold the same in properposition.

The grounding-wire 16 is wrapped around the tube 8, as at 16V, whichserves in this form as a sufljcient grounding connection'and also tohold the arrester in position on the linewire.

In the practical arrangement of my invention I find it convenient toplace the form shown in Figs. S and 9 at intervals at from one to twomiles, as may be desired.

By providing the space as shown, the nut end of the eyebolt, togetherwith its nut and washer,will be protected from accidental displacement,the outer face of the nut being flush with the outer face of thecross-arm 6. Furthermore, while I have shown but two sets of cross-armscarrying suflicient arresters for twenty line-wires yet I do not desireto limit myself to this particular number of cross-arms, since anydesired nu mberot crossarms may be used without departing from the scopeof the appended claims. Neither do I desire to limit myself to themanner of arranging the cross-arms upon the poles, and although I haveshown the cross-arms arranged ior all the wires running in the samedirection yet they may be arranged to allow the wires to be strung indifferent directions. I desire it furthermore understood that slightchanges and modifications in the structure and arrangement of parts maybe made without departing from the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a lightning-arrester comprising alongitudinallydisposed conductor and a cylindrical metallic tube,insulators at each end, said tube adapted to be electrically connectedto the ground, said insulators being longitudinally apertured whereby toreceive the longitudinallydisposed conductor electrically connected tothe line-Wire, for the purposes specilied.

2. A lightningarrester of the class described, comprising in combinationwith a pair of cross-arms; of a line-terminal and a ground-terminal,said ground-terminal being mounted between the cross-arms and inelectrical connection with the earth, and said lineterminal beingmounted on and insulated from the cross-arms and in electricalconnection with the line-wire, for the purposes speci tied.

3. A lightning-arrester comprising in combination with a pair ofapertured cross-ar1ns,

IOC

IIO

IIS

of a line-terminal and a ground-terminal, said ground-terminal beingheld between the cross-arms with its ends projecting into the aperturestherein and in electrical connection with the earth, and saidline-terminal mounted in the apertures of the cross-arms and insulatedtherefrom, said line-terminal being in electrical connection with thelinewire and passing through 'the ground-terminal, for the purposesspecified.

A. In a lightning-arrester of the character stated, a pair of supportshaving apertures therethrough, a cylindrical member mounted between saidsupports with its ends projecting into the apertures therein, means forholding said cylindrical members in position and from lateral movement,said means including longitudinally-apertured, insulating-knobs mountedwithin the apertures of the supports and having their ends in contactwith the cylindrical member, and a metallic line-terminal adapted topass through the insulatingknobs and the cylindrical member, for thepurposes specified.

5. -In a lightning-arrester of the character stated, a pair of supportshaving apertures therethrough, a metallic tube mounted between the saidsupports, said tube having its ends projecting within the apertures inthe supports, insulators mounted at the ends of said tube within theapertures of the supports, said insulators having longitudinal aperturesand 'circumferential grooves, means engaging with the circumferentialgrooves for securing the insulators in position, and a rod passingthrough the insulators and the tube, said rod being held out of contactwith the said tube and including an eye portion and a nut-receivingportion, for the purposes specified.

6. In a lightning-arrester of the character stated including a pair ofsupports having apertures therethrough,a metallic tubular member mountedbetween the said supports, said tubular member having its endsprojecting within the apertures in the supports, insulators mounted atthe ends of said tubular member within the apertures of the supports,said insulators each having a longitudinal aperture and acircumferential groove, means for engaging with the circumferentialgroove for securing the insulators in position, a rod passing throughthe insulators and the tube, said rod including an eye portion and anut-receiving portion, said rod being held out of contact with saidtubular member, and a series of disks arranged upon said rod within thetubular member, said rod adapted to be connected with the line-wire, andmeans for connecting said tubular member with the earth, for thepurposes specified.

7. A lightning-arrester comprising in combination with the aperturedsupporting-arms 6 6X, of a metallic tube S held between said arms withits ends projecting into the apertures thereof, insulators 7 7x arrangedat each end of the tube within the apertures of the arms, saidinsulators having apertures, an eyebolt 10 adapted to pass through' theapertured insulatorsand the tube 8, a series of washers 15 mounted uponthe eyebolt within the tube S, means for securing the insulators inposition, said means including spikes 9 driven through thesupporting-arms and engaging with the insulators,and means forconnecting the tube 8 to the earth, said lastnarned means consisting ofconductor-wires connected to the tube S and to the ground, as specified.

8. A lightning-arrester for cable-terminals, comprising in combinationwith a pair of cross-arms; of a series of tubular members mountedbetween the cross-arms, each of said tubular members being in electricalconnection with each other and with the earth, a series of eyebolts, onefor each tubular member, said eyebolts passing through said crossarmsand said tubular members and insulated therefrom and from the earth,each of said eyebolts being in electrical connection with a line-wire,substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES E. NICHOLAS.

Witnesses:

J. D. PARK, W. H. MILLER.

